The ingenious specialists of Kingfisher Landscaping created this slick garden, reminiscent of a London apartment garden.  This stylish home is enclosed by the ethereal garden, which harmonizes perfectly with the fashionable architectural style. 

Kingfisher Landscaping utilized the beautiful established oak tree as a prominent feature, around which the rest of the garden was arranged.  Our experienced team of landscapers constructed an unpretentious square concrete water feature, which enhances the overall tranquil mood of this exterior refuge and surrounded it with variegated abelias (abelia grandiflora).  Neat concrete screed slabs, which were cast on site, function as both neat pathways, as well as clean, linear rows, which comprise the hardscaping features in this garden design.  All of the cement features were finished in an aged concrete look. 

Lush beds of sweet-smelling lavender were planted to soften the yellow walls.  Dwarf eugenias (syzygium paniculatum) were planted in gabion plant cages to act as points of focal interest on the perimeter of the garden.  The professional landscaping team also planted dwarf buxus into square pots and common orange jasmines (murraya exotica), which bear white, perfumed flowers, in linear plant beds.  Topiaried Indian laurel fig trees (ficus nitida) were planted against the boundary wall to grow into a dense top-hedge. 

 A neat balau wooden deck, with an aged appearance, was constructed around the swimming pool by the Kingfisher Landscaping connoisseurs.  Finally, we planted all seasons evergreen instant lawn, which will flourish in the ample shade cast by the giant old oak tree.

The end result is a serene landscape in which the homeowners can escape the hustle and bustle of everyday city living.

Whether it is landscaping, installations of Koi ponds, water features, wooden decking, garden illumination, swimming pools, irrigation or the inclusion of mosaics in the garden – Kingfisher Landscaping will always define your exterior lifestyle in a stylish fashion. 

The landscaping experts at Kingfisher Landscaping design and implement exceptional and beautiful gardens in a professional manner and can provide the home owner with any exterior decorative feature.  We pride ourselves in providing our clients with excellent, efficient and comprehensive service.  We offer all the products and services associated with creating a peaceful, and aesthetically pleasing outdoor living space which will complement the style of your home and in which you can relax.

The black wattle tree is a dangerous alien invader.  It is an evergreen tree and can grow up to 30 meters in height.

These intruders were introduced into South Africa between 1858 and 1864.  it is not sure whether the first black wattle trees were planted in the Cape Town Botanical Gardens (1858) as decorative trees or in the present-day KwaZulu-Natal near Camperdown (1864) as commercial trees. 

Due to its high tannin content (around 30%), the black wattle was planted commercially to be used in tanning leather.  The wood was also used for firewood, building materials and as wood chips.

Unfortunately these exotic trees – native to South-East Australia – have started growing profusely outside commercial plantations, along water courses and roads.  They tend to grow in dense copses, especially after a fire has passed through the area.  Because these trees were planted outside of their natural habitat, they do not have to contend with their natural enemies, which control their numbers.  These trees steal water, nutrients and light from our indigenous plants and trees, and therefore replace our native flora.  Especially our fynbos areas are threatened by the black wattle.

The black wattle has been declared an invader plant throughout South Africa, except in areas where they are commercially planted.    These commercially planted trees should be monitored, however, and be prevented from spreading out of the plantations.

Black wattles reproduce by their seeds, which can remain dormant, yet fertile, for a period of 50 to 80 years.  These seeds do not germinate immediately, and can gather quite thickly under the trees.  Should a wild fire spread through the trees, all of the seeds will germinate simultaneously, which causes an even bigger problem.

These trees also re-sprout rather heartily, adding to the level of difficulty in getting rid of them.  Should you fell a wattle tree, you must ensure that you treat the stump with a herbicide, to prevent it from re-sprouting.  As these trees normally flourish along water courses, you need to ensure that you use a registered herbicide and definitely steer clear of diesel-based products, as this will contaminate the water course.

If the trees are still young – seedlings and saplings – you can pull them out by hand, when the soil is wet.  However, if there are very many of them, it is best to use chemical control measures, as extreme soil disturbance will also promote the germination of seeds.

The bottom line is that you should never plant a black wattle in your garden and you should do your share in terminating these plants responsibly to enhance the growth of our indigenous flora.

The landscaping experts at Kingfisher Landscaping design and implement exceptional and beautiful gardens in a professional manner and can provide the home owner with any exterior decorative feature.  We pride ourselves in providing our clients with excellent, efficient and comprehensive service.  We offer all the products and services associated with creating a peaceful, and aesthetically pleasing outdoor living space which will complement the style of your home and in which you can relax.

The tree fuchsia (halleria lucida) has been appointed as one of the two rare trees of the year for 2009, by the Department of Water and Environmental Affairs.

This beautiful tree, with its lush, wide-spreading canopy has shiny, bright green leaves and is an indigenous evergreen tree.  Birds love to gather in this tree, so it will be ideal to plant in your garden, if you want to attract birds.  Insects also enjoy feasting on the flowers, which are very rich in nectar. 

It has elegantly drooping branches and normally has more than one stem.  Bright orange, red or yellow tube-shaped flowers – which grow on the stems and in clusters of leaves – bloom in summer and from early spring this decorative tree carries round black berries, which are clustered together.  The bark of the tree fuschia is a dull grey to brown in colour and has vertical grooves.

These trees occur naturally in coastal areas, near water and on stony mountains or hills.  The tree fuchsia can grow between 12 and 20 meters high in ideal conditions, and up to 5 meters in less favourable conditions, such as in exposed areas.  They require a lot of water.

Historically, the wood was used for tools, spear shafts and for the construction of wagon poles, as the wood is strong and hard.  Traditional medicinal uses included treatment of ear aches, by infusing the dried leaves in water. 

The landscaping experts at Kingfisher Landscaping design and implement exceptional and beautiful gardens in a professional manner and can provide the home owner with any exterior decorative feature.  We pride ourselves in providing our clients with excellent, efficient and comprehensive service.  We offer all the products and services associated with creating a peaceful, and aesthetically pleasing outdoor living space which will complement the style of your home and in which you can relax.

Pets and gardening do not always go hand-in-hand.  Some believe it impossible to harmonize your dogs or cats and your garden, and that you have to choose between having a pet and having a garden.  This is not necessarily true.  It is very possible to synchronize the two.

When you have your garden lay-out designed, keep your pets in mind.  For instance; ensure that you have high enough walls or fencing – with no large gaps – around your property to prevent your dog from pulling a Houdini on you.  Dogs love patrolling the perimeter of their territory – your garden – so make sure that you do not plant sensitive or valuable plants along the borders of your garden.  You can either lay down a strip of paving, gravel, pebbles or stepping stones or you can plant a topiary top-hedge to soften the wall, which will be out of reach of padding paws.  You can also plant creepers against your wall, which will give you more privacy and soften your borders.

A chief reason for dogs digging up a garden is boredom.  Make sure your dogs get plenty of stimulating exercise and that they have a wide selection of toys around the garden to keep them occupied.

When you lay out and plant your flower beds, you can either construct raised flower beds, or create borders around your beds, using decorative wooden fencing, which will dissuade your pets from having a romp among the roses…You can also lay down a layer of hard mulch, to discourage your pets from exploring the plant beds, depending on the type of plants you plant in your flower beds.  Hard mulch includes gravel and chunky quartzite rock, which is also decorative.

You can guarantee your pets’ health and happiness by planting non-toxic plants; using organic pest repellent and creating areas where they will have access to both sunny and shady spots.  Try to leave as much space as possible for them to run around in, without risking getting up to mischief.

 When you plant delicate seedlings, you need to be extra careful about getting them demolished by exploring dog paws.  You can either demarcate the area for a while, until the seedlings have had a running start, or you can apply a very effective home remedy…

This remedy consists of dry flour, mustard powder and cayenne pepper.  All you need to do is add equal parts of these three ingredients together and sifting the deterrent around your seedlings.  You will need to re-apply your concoction after you have had rain or very windy weather.

Finally, you should also keep in mind the type of lawn you have planted in your garden.  Some dogs are allergic to kikuyu lawn.  Evergreen lawn might yellow in spots where your female dog urinates.  In our opinion, LM lawn would be your best bet.

If you do not really want or need your dog in a specific part of your garden, you can create a partition, using a fence or even a decorative gabion wall to keep your moggies out.  Then you will be able to create a delicate garden, without having to worry about your canines causing havoc among the daisies…

The landscaping experts at Kingfisher Landscaping design and implement exceptional and beautiful gardens in a professional manner and can provide the home owner with any exterior decorative feature.  We pride ourselves in providing our clients with excellent, efficient and comprehensive service.  We offer all the products and services associated with creating a peaceful, and aesthetically pleasing outdoor living space which will complement the style of your home and in which you can relax.

A Japanese garden is probably the most therapeutic garden.  With its evergreen plants, tranquil water features and elegant, flowing lines, the Japanese garden quickly eases your mood and relaxes your mind, soul and body.

Plants typically used in Japanese gardens consist of perennial plants.  This means that your garden will be green all year round and that you will not need to remove any plants every year.  Should you want to add splashes of colour to your Japanese garden, you can allocate a small area to seasonal colour.

Japanese gardens are timeless and will always be an attractive attribute to complement your home.  Small gardens or courtyards are also suitable for Japanese gardens. 

Hard landscaping features, such as oriental sculptures, stone lanterns, water features with an eastern theme, trellises, wooden decking, cobble lines, paths created with stepping stones, water basins, cement screed blocks, feature walls, garden benches and other exterior décor will decorate your garden and requires no water.  Different textures will add dimension to the garden lay-out.

Our in-house décor company, Badec Bros Deco, can manufacture any type of trendy exterior décor that your heart desires.  Badec Bros Wooden Decking, our in-house wooden decking company, is a highly professional and qualified company, fit to install your wooden decking in a variety of wood types with a range of stylish finishes.

Another typical Japanese garden feature is the shishi odoshi – which looks like a bamboo shaduf.  Water runs into one end of a horizontal bamboo rod (which is attached to two vertical bamboo rods) and eventually causes the horizontal bamboo to drop to the opposite side.  Once it has run empty it pivots back to its original position onto a flat stone, which emits a striking sound.  The cycle repeats continuously.  Traditionally this device was used to scare of browsing and grazing animals, to protect the plants in the garden.  Nowadays it is used to create a soothing rhythm in your garden.

Plants and trees in a Japanese garden are characteristically trimmed into neat shapes.  Beautifully manipulated bonsai can form stunning focal points in your Japanese gardens.

Ultimately, the garden design of a Japanese garden should harmonize with the architectural style of the home and with the tastes of the home owner.

The landscaping experts at Kingfisher Landscaping design and implement exceptional and beautiful gardens in a professional manner.  We pride ourselves in providing our clients with excellent, efficient and comprehensive service.  We offer all the products and services associated with creating a peaceful, and aesthetically pleasing outdoor living space which will complement the style of your home and in which you can relax.

Should you want plants in your garden, which are green throughout the year, Kingfisher Landscaping can incorporate evergreen plants into your landscaping design.  Evergreen creepers are ideal to plant in your garden, where you would like to cover a drab wall, screen an unpleasant view, grow natural shade over a pergola, or decorate arches.

Evergreen creepers include paper flower bougainvillea (bougainvillea glabra), star jasmine (jasminum multiflorum) and most other jasmine species, Cape honeysuckle (tecomaria capensis), Cape leadwort (plumbago capensis), plumbago (plumbago europaea), ivy (hedera) species and the tickey creeper (ficus pumila).